Daughter of Ares
by Daughter of Olympus26
Summary: The world rests in the hands of Ren a demigod with a dark past that could save the future. And she isn't the only one with a dark past to come to Camp Half-Blood, but it is his return that could save the future and the people he cares about.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I've only known him for five months and here we are again trying to save each others skins. I'm launching electric arrows at this seven headed thing while he's trying to stab it and let me just say this isn't working. We are trying to get over that damn hill to be safe but of course the stupid thing has us cornered. He screams at me,

" Ren give it a try I don't think I can go much longer."

" But you're better with the sword."

" Not by much! Here!"

He throws me his sword and gets away from the seven headed lizard and takes my bow. And I take a stab at this thing hoping I kill it with one blow, no such luck. Instead the lizard tries to blow fire at me, my instinct told me to roll over to the right and thrust the sword forward. I got the thing in the side but that only pissed it off and came running at me. But he distracted it by shooting off one of its heads. While it was distracted I went in for the kill stabbing it in the heart and pulling it out in the process. The lizard started to sway so I tried to get out of the way but the stupid thing fell on me. I was penned under it and I heard him screaming luckily it turned into dust but not before its body weight broke my leg. He said,

" Oh my god Ren are you okay?"

He pulled me up to my feet and I screamed,

" AAAAHHHH! I think my leg is broken."

" Let me take a look at it."

He bent down by my leg and checked it out. I could tell on his face that it wasn't good. I said,

" How bad is it?"

" It's not bad for the healers, they can fix it without a problem."

" Well until then could you give me a hand?"

" Sure."

He wrapped his arm around my waist and I threw my arm around his shoulder. He carried most of the weight which would have made me feel bad if I wasn't already in so much pain. He took my bow and handed it to me. The bronze bow had shrunk down into a bronze bracelet that I've had as long as I can remember. I handed him his sword and we hobbled up the hill to what looked like an arch with greek letters that said Camp Half-Blood. The scary thing was I don't read greek. I looked over at him and was about to say something when he said,

" Reading greek is another perk to being a demigod."

When we got into the camp we were fine for awhile until a bunch of kids came out with swords and started screaming at us. Without even thinking about it I disarmed them all and was about to kill them when he screamed,

" Don't kill them Ren!"

" Why not!"

" They're not going to kill you."

" They looked like they were going to kill us."

" Not you, me."

Stunned I scream,

" Luke Castellan, what the hell is going on!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

" Ren just hold on second."

" Why would they want to kill you!"

" Because I am a traitor to them."

" Then why did you bring me here?"

" To keep you safe. You've been fighting long enough you need a break."

" I'm not going there without."

" You don't have a choice."

Before I could reply a kid got up and knocked me out, which probably wasn't to hard at the moment. When I woke up I found myself in what looked like a hospital. I looked around to find I wasn't the only in here but I don't care. I need to find Luke right now before he gets killed or worst. I jumped to my feet without even thinking and pain rushed into my leg, I looked for something that could support my weight, a crutch, yes! I was about twenty feet from the place when a bright chipper girl maybe fourteen or fifteen came up to me and said,

" You shouldn't be on the leg."

" I don't care."

" But it's not good for you."

God this girl is annoying I said,

" Okay, look little miss sunshine."

" My name is Jess."

" Jess, you're going to take me to Luke Castellan right now or you will get hurt."

With a laugh she said,

" An Ares kid this is going to be fun. I'll take you to Luke."

I followed her down the hill and I have to say she is pretty damn fast. We traveled into some woods which felt like for ages until we came to an opening where there was… a horse man, a few goat guys, and some normal kids or at least I think they're normal. The horse man said,

" Hello there Ren."

" Where is Luke?"

" None of your concern my dear."

" Okay, look I am going to say this once, give me Luke."

The kid with black hair and green eyes standing next to the blond said,

" You're not going to have him. He's a traitor."

The horseman said,

"Percy! She doesn't know anything about this subject and she is in no condition to find out now."

I said,

" Hey! I am right here and I know everything about Luke."

" What could you possibly know about him."

" I know that he sacrificed himself to safe this world. I know that Kronos was in his body for a while and I know he fought along side Kronos."

" Do you also know how he got here?"

" He said he had walked through some doors in the Underworld and he had come back to life."

" The Doors of Death?"

" Yeah something like that."

The black haired kid looked over at horse man and said,

" How?"

" I don't know Percy."

I said,

" Well, I told you what I know so bring him out."

With a wave of horse man's hand some more goat guys brought him out. He said,

" Ren what the hell are you doing?"

" Getting my friend."

" Ren you don't want to get mixed up in this."

" To late. All of you should know that he saved my life he saved your lives and this is how you treat him?"

Horse man said,

" We can't let him stay here Ren."

" Well if he's not Im not."

Luke said,

" Ren stop!"

" No. Why can't you guys give him a chance to right his wrongs?"

" Ren I don't deserve that chance."

" Everyone deserves a chance to right their wrongs."

Horse man said,

" We'll give him this chance."

Black haired guy said,

" Chiron you can't be serious?"

" Percy, Ren has a point."

" But…"

" No more Percy he is staying and Ren he is your responsibility."

" Fine."

Luke came running to my side to help me out with my leg. He looked angry with me but he also was grateful to me for saving his skin. He gave me a piggy back ride back to the hospital. He set me back down on my bed and said,

" Ren you're an idiot."

" I guess being stupid can save your sorry ass."

" It's getting annoying."

" To bad."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Later that day I was claimed by my dad, Ares, who would have guessed. Luckily I don't have to meet my siblings till tomorrow because my leg is still messed up. I went to sleep after dinner and that was so much fun. All I can remember from the nightmare was a lot of blood and fire, which didn't help me so I ended up reading a book till Luke came in and got me. He said,

" Breakfast?"

" Sure."

When we got to the dining-pavillion we were at peace, for little while, until little miss sunshine came to our table. Let me just say I am not a morning person so this could go down south very fast. Jess said,

" Good morning! It's going to be a great day."

I looked at Luke who was cracking up because I am all ready annoyed by nine simple perky words. May the gods kill me! Please! I said,

" Jess I think you're eating at the wrong table."

" No I'm not."

" You sat here on purpose?"

" Yep."

" Why?"

" Because I like you two,you both are very interesting."

" I think you got that wrong."

" Nope."

Okay why can't I seem to muster the strength to knock her out right here right now? I can't possibly like she gets on my nerves so easily. I drop the conversation, and see a group of kids coming to our table, a big group of kids. The girl with a red bandana looks at Luke and says,

" Why the hell did you come back Castellan? You know we would kill you if you ever came back."

Luke didn't say anything which must mean that they're serious, but like an idiot I say,

" Buzz off you manly brut."

She looked really pissed and said,

" What you know who this is right, a traitor! The one who got so many of us killed! Who's kid are you because you can't be an Ares."

" Sorry to disappoint you but I am and I don't give a shit what you think."

And that got her really mad, so this group of kids are obviously my siblings and we're already hating each other in five minutes. Wonderful. She tried to slug me in the face, now that was stupid on her part. I grabbed her speeding fist and twisted it behind her back. And with a lot of pressure I broke/ dislocated her punching arm, I would call it a score, Luke would call it stupid. She yelled,

" You'll be sorry for that!"

" I'm sure I will be."

With that she left to go to the hospital wing. I went back to eating my breakfast when Jess started clapping I looked at her and she said,

" That was so cool!"

I said to Luke,

" Is she nuts or stupid?"

" It's hard to tell with Apollo's kids."

And that comment didn't phase her on bit. Does nothing bring her down?" After that Luke showed me all the cool things that were this camp, personally I wanted to into the arena , but Luke told me we'll have to wait till the girl with a broken arm cooled off. Finally he took me to the forges to get me a sword, since seven knives on my person isn't enough. After about the eighth sword I found one that fit perfectly. It had a three and a half foot bronze blade with an iron handle. I said to Luke,

" Can we give it a try?"

" Sure, we should go to the dock."

" You mean arena."

" No, the dock."

" Okay?"

We were about half way to the dock when Jess reappeared, fun. Within three seconds she said,

" Can we be friends?"

" If you can stay quite for five minutes straight."

" Okay."

And those five minutes were the best five minutes I've had in this camp. And then we got to the dock then she started talking again. She said,

" What are you doing here? With swords?"

" I have no idea."

Luke said,

" To have a little sword play."

I said,

" On the dock."

" Yeah, sometimes you're restricted to a limited space."

" What ever, let's just get to sword play."

Right before we were about to cart Jess peeped,

" Do you have any tips for me? I'm not very good with a sword?"

" Yeah I have one that applies to someone you know."

" What is it?"

" Watch and learn little miss sunshine."

And at that Luke took the first swing at my right shoulder, I blocked and swiped it away to the left. I took my sword and tried to slash his left leg in the same swoop, blocked. Then I tried getting his right leg, no such luck. He attempted the left shoulder this time, but I grabbed his wrist and knocked his sword out of his hands with the bunt of mine. He recovered from that pretty quickly, his leg swooped across the ground knocking me on my ass. By the time I got back up our blades were at a stand still, all of our tension was in our crossed blades. I leaned forward in between the blades getting closer and closer to his face, I was almost to his lips and then he closed his eyes ready for a kiss. In that second I pushed him off the dock into the water. I started laughing because I honestly didn't think he would fall for it, Jess said,

" That was awesome!"

" I call that the sucker 101."

I went to the end of the dock to help Luke out, I offered him my hand, that was stupid. He pulled me in and we had an all out water war. That was probably the most fun I've had in a long time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After Luke and I finish the water battle Jess brought us towels to dry off, she said,

" Can you teach me some more moves."

" I'm sure Luke can he better."

" But you won."

" He usually wins."

I looked over at Luke who was smiling at the complement and that fact I can't stand this girl. He said,

" I got to go see Chiron. See you later?"

" Sure."

Jess said,

" You can hang out with me!"

" Joy."

After Luke left Percy came up to me and said,

" That was a pretty sweet move there Ren."

" It's not like your girlfriend hasn't done it to you."

" True."

" What do you want?"

" I think we got off on the wrong foot."

" Did we?"

" Hey, you seem pretty awesome and you don't like the consoler in the Ares cabin and I don't so something in common."

" Fine you get a do over."

He stuck his hand and said,

" Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

" Ren Stevens, daughter of Ares."

I decided to call this truce with him because it might be good to have him on my side, but I know I won't completely trust because he doesn't trust Luke. As we were heading to the archery range I saw this one guy gave the fine of come three feet closer and I'll kill you with my mind. The completely black clothed guy was creepy, with a capital C. I looked at Jess who seemed not able to take her eyes off the psycho. Weird complete opposites attract, I say,

" Who is that?"

" Nico Di Angelo, son of Hades."

She had said with dreamy glassy eyes, I said,

" Well, look who eyeballing the lord of the undead."

That snapped her out of it she said,

" No, he's not my type."

" You mean you're not his type."

" It goes both ways."

Then Percy says,

" He's gay."

" That might make some actual sense there Perry."

" Percy."

" What ever."

I knew that kids jeans were a little too tight, but maybe that is the style now, I don't know. We get to the archery range and Jess pulls out a bow for me and I say,

" Got one thanks."

I pull off my bracelet and it grows into a bronze bow, but I decide to use real arrows, so no one gets electrocuted. Jess says,

" That is awesome!"

" Apparently everything is."

" Where did you get?"

" My dad."

Jess took the first shot but I could tell she was going easy because she thinks I am bad, wrong. I take my arrow and release it and it goes flying splitting her arrow in half. Then we both stepped our game we both went back and forth destroying each others arrows. And then I feel a sick sense of death upon us I turn around and see the lord of the undead, he says,

" You're new. Hey Jess."

Jess says,

" Hey Nico."

" So who are you?"

" Ren."

" Neat name."

" So you're gay."

Jess screams,

" REN!"

" I'm not gay."

" Really?"

" Yep, not gay what about you Ren with a pixie hair cut?"

" Not gay."

"Why do you think I'm gay?"

" Everyone says you are."

" No, that was a lie to get rid of cupid."

" Not very smart to be messing a god."

Percy came running up and said,

" Hey the arenas open and Luke you guys want to go?"

" Sure, we were just saying that Jess and Nico should spar."

Jess says,

" We were?"

" Yes."

We left and Jess kept saying and I quote, " He's not gay. He's not gay" and might I add she about to break down with joy because she might have a shot. When we get to the Arena Luke is sparing with dummy no surprise, no one likes him anymore. I ran up to him and said,

" Hey, can you be down here to make sure it's a fair fight."

" Whose fighting? You and Percy?"

He sounded jealous when he said that any way,

" No, Jess and Nico."

" Okay, this will be interesting."

" And just so you know they like each other."

" This will be very interesting."

Before I went up to the stand Jess stopped me and said,

" What should I do?"

" You got to fight your own battles."

" Please?"

" Remember what you learned today use the emotion of your attacker."

And then the light bulb went off in side her bright little head. I sat next to Percy in the stands and another girl whose name is Piper, there are to many names that start with P. When I looked down at Luke he looked jealous and protective, of what? Me? And the Jess took the first swing, blocked. They went back and forth for a while they were pretty evenly matched. And then they were at a stand still, and slowly she started leaning in closer and closer to Nico's face. Piper said,

" She's going to kiss him!"

" No she's not love princess."

" Yes, she is."

" Watch."

And the second he closed his eyes for a kiss, she took his sword kicked him on his ass. I jumped up and screamed,

" Called it!"

Percy was laughing his ass off I guess he's starting to realize that males are really stupid. Luke was backing up because he just fell for the same thing and Piper had a look of, why is there no love anymore. This was just funny I jump down from the stands and give Jess a high five and a good old pat on the back, which made her fall flat on her face. After a knife throwing session at my dining table with my siblings we went to sing around a fire, not good. After being pushed into fire when I was eight by a bunch of other foster kids I tried to stay away from big groups and fire. Leading us in the sing a-long was Jess of course. I sat next to Luke and we sang for a while but then I started to remember the feeling of fire on my skin and it hurts. I start to tear up a little and Luke says,

" You okay?"

" Fine."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I couldn't stand it any more I had to leave this fire and all these people around it. I got up without a word and headed for the docks, water has always been better than fire for me. I didn't even realize that someone was following me until I heard the dock creep behind me. I grab a knife from my pocket, spin around and throw it. It goes flying for the persons' face but they grab with their hand and say,

" Ren, what are you doing?"

It was Luke, why does he care about me so much? I said,

" Luke why are you following me?"

" Answer my question first Ren."

" Trying to forget."

" What?"

" Sit down."

We sat on the dock with our feet dangling over the edge for a while before I started talking. I said,

" I was trying to forget the pain I felt when I was a child."

" What pain?"

" Being forgotten by everyone, being hated by anyone who knew me, and wondering why my mom didn't want me."

" Why would your mom not want you?"

" She died when I was a baby, she did drugs and over dosed. I always wondered why she did it, why she would risk her daughter for something so meaningless."

"When you said you were alone for a while you meant a long time didn't you?"

" I've been on my own since I was ten."

I looked down and saw that Luke's hand was bleeding from the knife I said,

" Luke you're bleeding."

" It's nothing."

" Give me your hand."

He placed his hand in mine and a surge of energy went through me and him. What does it mean? For some reason I feel attracted to him and I never felt that before. Does he feel the same? Ren stop it I need to check his hand. It looked pretty deep but not deep enough for stitches, but it needed something to catch all the blood. I rip off my sleeve and rap it around his hand with a cute little bow on top. I look up at him and he's smiling at me, but then it slowly fades and asks,

" Ren, what's that scar on your shoulder?"

I look over at my now bare shoulder and see the burn scars from the fire. I say,

" That's why I left the fire. When I was eight some other foster kids hated me and we were at a camp, then and there they pushed me into the fire. It burned off most of my skin on my left shoulder. And while I was screaming in pain they told me that I deserved to be alone because everyone I would meet would hate me as much as they did."

Luke looked stunned that something like that had even happened to me. He held my hand and said,

" Ren they were wrong about everything, you know that. And when I get the chance I will kill them myself."

" Too late. A n hour later Ares killed them."

" Ren you deserve more than anyone to have people care about you, I care about you."

" I don't deserve a friend like you Luke."

" Are you kidding Ren? I don't deserve friends, hell I don't deserve to be living right now."

" Yes, you do because you want to right your wrongs. And I can't think of a better person to be around."

In that moment Luke came close to me, I could feel his warm breath on my face. He said,

" I will always be by your side. I'm not going anywhere."

And he closed the space between us. Our lips met and I couldn't help but kiss back. I pulled away and said,

" You like me?"

" Ren I've liked you since the first day I met you."

I took his face in my hands and kissed him. Luke placed his hand on my hip and I rested one of my hands on his neck while the other was on his chest. We kissed for a while then he laughed and said,

" We better go."

" Why? I'm fine here."

" Well, I am too but listen."

I listened and all the singing had stopped. I said,

" Why do we have to go now they just finished."

" Do you want to wait in ten minutes and get eaten by harpies?"

" That doesn't sound pleasant."

" It's not."

We walked back holding hands and we see Nico and Jess talking. I push Luke behind the tree and I here Nico say,

" I'll meet you at the canoe tomorrow alright."

Jess said,

" I'll see you then."

Before Nico left Jess alone he pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear and placed a black rose in her hair. How deadly romantic.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

In the morning Luke greeted me with a kiss and said,

" How's your morning been?"

" Well, it's been pretty good now."

He kissed me again, I wanted to keep kissing him but I said,

" I should probably talk to Jess about Nico."

" Why?"

" Give her some friendly info on dating."

" But I thought I was the first guy you ever dated?"

I punched him in the shoulder as hard as I could, he said,

" OWW!"

" You may be the first guy I've dated, but I'm sure it's one more than her."

" Did I say me being the first guy was a bad thing?"

" Did you?"

" I was just saying that you were lucky to have me first because there is no one better than me."

" Self centered much?"

" Just in the morning."

I kissed him on the cheek and left to go find Jess. I found her in the archery range and every time she took a shot she missed, something's up. I yell,

" Hey Jess!"

She turned and shot an arrow at me luckily I ducked before it could create a whole in my head. She said,

" Oh my Zeus! Ren I am so sorry."

" It's okay little miss sunshine."

" I'm just a little tense."

" About your date with Lord of the undead."

" How did you know that?"

" People have ears Jess."

" I need help."

" That's what I'm here for."

We went back to the Apollo cabin to see what we could do for Jess's date. When I entered the cabin it was blinding with brightness. Not really my style but it sure as hell suits Jess. We got to her bunk and she said,

" How should I do my hair."

" Let me do your hair."

" You can do hair?"

" There was a time Jess when I had long hair and not a pixie hair cut."

" Really? It just seems like the pixie hair cut is so you."

" That's because it is. Now hold still while I do your hair."

She has about chin length hair so I decide to do a small braid. I left this small lock of hair dangling on the right side of her face, to give Nico the chance to push it back. Jess said,

" Why is my hair back?"

" Because he likes you for you and he can't see you with your hair down."

" Make-up?"

" No."

" Jewelry?"

" No Jess. Keep it minimal the guy is showy enough."

" He's not showy."

" The Lord of the Undead is totally showy. Trust me he wants to know you not your shoes."

" What's going on with you Ren?"

" What do you mean?"

" You're more chipper than usual?"

" Nothing is going on."

" That is a mouth full of lies."

" If I tell you will you shut up about it?"

" Maybe."

" Fine, Luke and I kissed. And I think we are dating."

" Oh my Zeus! This so awesome, I can't…"

" Shut up."

" Right."

" Now go on your date with your undead prince."

She bolted out of the room for the docks. I went out side and someone wrapped their arms around me, I took their arm and threw them over my head and slammed them on their back. It was Luke, I said,

" You can't sneak up on me."

" I got the message Ren. I wanted to know if hiking was on the agenda."

" Sure."

We decided to hike around the lake in case we wanted to swim back to civilization. After about half way around the lake I heard people talking specifically, Jess. I look out on the water and sure enough Nico and Jess were there. I say to Luke,

" Do you think…"

" SSSHHH! Listen."

Nico said,

" Jess can you sing for me?"

" Sure."

Jess sang a song that I didn't know but it sounded beautiful if I didn't know better I'd call her an angel at singing. Nico said,

" Your amazing voice Jess, it rests the rattled souls around us. It makes me forget that my world is surrounded by death and sometimes life can live in the dead world I know."

" Nico, that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

" Your soul is the kindest living one I've ever met."

How can Jess not be freaked out about all this death talk? And the bigger question how does she find it attractive? Jess said,

" What is like being around so many dark things."

" You can get used to it, but it's when you see a light at the end of a tunnel you wish that you never have to see the dark again."

" Has that ever happened to you?"

" Jess you're the light at the end of my tunnel."

" Really?"

Nico leaned forward and pushed the stray lock of hair behind her ear, and whispered,

" Really."

And he kissed her with a dark passion. And she counteracted his darkness with her inner light. For some reason their total opposite personalities didn't dampen each others but seemed to intensify their differences to the next level. I look over at Luke and he says,

" They're so wrong for each other…"

" But so right."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I will be the first one to admit that I didn't expect Nico and Jess to get pass the mutual crush, but hey the world is full of surprises. After Luke and I ditched the romantic moment between Nico and Jess, we continued hiking around the lake. Until we came across a picnic layer out by the shore of the lake. It had all of my favorite things, half and half Snapple, chocolate covered strawberries, and sushi. I look over at Luke, he says,

" I thought I should take you on a proper date."

" Why? I liked our previous encounters."

" Sword fighting, swim wars, and cheating death."

" Yeah, all those things were really fun."

" Well I think one of us has to be the romantic in this relationship."

" And I can't!"

" I didn't say that."

It drives me nuts when he gets all technical it annoys me to death, but sometimes it can be so hot. I drape my arms around Luke's neck and kiss him, he says,

" I like this."

He placed his hands on my on hips and kissed me back. He pulled me closer to him, I kissed him once more and said,

" Why don't we eat."

" Fine by me."

We sat and ate for a while and then I said,

" I can't get used to this."

" What?"

" The words we and us. Being with someone who cares about me for more than a week."

" Ren if this is to much for you?"

" It's not Luke, I've just been alone for so long."

He laced his fingers into mine and said,

" You won't ever be alone again."

He kissed my hand and said,

" Not now."

Now he kissed my neck and said,

" Not tomorrow."

He was millimeters away from my face and said,

" Not ever."

He kissed me, I tangled my fingers in his hair and threw him on his back. I kissed him, this moment will probably go down as the best moment of my life. Until our perfect moment was ruined by some girl with ridiculous red hair, she said,

" Well aren't you two getting cozy."

I got off of Luke and said,

" Who the hell are you!"

" I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare. The fortune teller in a sense, of camp Half-Blood"

Luke looked really pissed when she said that, he yelled,

" Go the hell way, we want nothing to do with you!"

" I came here for some reason…"

She didn't finish her sentence because her eyes started to glow green and she spoke again but it wasn't her voice, it said,

" _A daughter of war shall fight along side a traitor._

_Together they shall fight a darkness that has been in slumber._

_Chaos will cover the earth like a plague._

_If the past will not haunt the hero then the future will be lost._

_And in the final breath of the hero the darkness will be destroyed _

_Or it will the cause of the end for heaven, hell, and earth."_

These words she said haunted my mind. I looked at Luke and he said,

_"_ You have just received a prophacy that could save the world."

Hehad looked scared, and the thing is Luke doesn't get scared.

We went back to the big house and after two hours of arguing we came to the conclusion that I had to go on this quest. I chose Nico and Jess to come with me. I couldn't bring Luke because there was no way I would lose him and to do that I had to leave him. I talked to Percy and he got us a ride with some winged horses, minos Nico who would be shadow traveling, but we would only have them until we got out of New York. As I was getting Black Jack ready Luke came up to me and freaked out the horse. I took the horse to the other one and then went back to Luke said,

" You can't leave me out of this Ren."

" I'm doing this to protect you. You already died once."

" And I would die again for you."

" That's why your staying."

" Ren I'm tethered to you and I don't know if I could live if you.."

" Died. And you know I won't."

" Do I?"

" Yes."

I kissed him and it hurt because for the first time in my life I don't want to be alone. He said,

" Take this."

It was a gold locket with a picture of him inside. He said,

" It was my moms."

" I can't."

" You are."

He puts the necklace on me and says,

" You know I won't say good bye."

" Then see you soon."

" See you soon."

He wrapped his arms around me and married his face in my hair and whispers,

" Come home to me."

" Always."

And then we parted ways.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The flying horse ride was brutal and I am not talking about weather. Jess wouldn't shut up about Nico. I mean honestly how can someone talk about a person for four hours straight? And another thing Jess wouldn't stop thanking me for bringing Lord of the Dead along since she is pretty sure that the guy creeps me out. Anyway we get to New Jersey and land in a parking lot where The Lord of the Dead says,

" What took you guys so long?"

I say,

" There was a lack of oxygen."

" Really."

I guess the guy didn't understand that his girlfriend wouldn't shut up. When Jess lands she jumps off her horse thing and guns it for Nico. He opens his arms wide catches her at full speed and says,

"I missed you."

" I missed you too."

And then they kiss and keep going back and forth.

" Jess, the world so dark that I was blind until you returned to my arms."

"I could stand leaving them Nico."

" Never leave me again."

" Never."

" If I…"

I yell to them,

" Alright the world understands your interesting attraction to each other. Now can we please get going?"

They look at me as if I just randomly appeared out of thin air. They drop out of their embrace and go to just holding hands. I move to one of the cars in the parking lot when Jess says,

" What are you doing?"

" Hi-jacking a car."

" Why we have plenty of money?"

She starts to pull out the bag of money when I say,

" Trust me we'll need that later."

" But someone will realize that their car was stolen and will be looking for it."

" Not if you just follow my plan."

I neil down next to the front of the car and start to unscrew the front license plates I say,

" Jess you help me with this car and Lord of the Dead go find another set of license plates."

" Any kind Ren?"

" Out of State would be best."

He disappears in the parking lot and Jess stays quite for six minutes straight, thank the gods, and then says,

" Nico is the best isn't he?"

Shit, why can't she stop talking about him? I say,

" Jess can we please not talk about Nico?"

" Why?"

" Because I don't want to focus on your relationship right now."

" Why?"

" I miss Luke and seeing you two being all lovey dovey doesn't help."

" I'm sorry Ren I forgot that you and Luke are a thing now."

" It's okay."

We get the plates off and Nico comes running up with the plates and yells,

" Why do we need these?"

" We're going to switch them."

" That's a really good idea."

" Well this isn't the first time that I've done it."

Jess says,

" Should I be surprised?"

" Not at all."

We switch the plates and I wire the car and we are on the road with me behind the wheel. Nico and Jess are sitting in the back seat cozying up to each other. God if I wasn't in a relationship I would start vomiting. And in the next three seconds they start making out I swear this is going to be a long drive. I get my water bottle and throw it at them and yell,

" You guys keep it G back their. No one needs to get pregnant!"

Jess started screaming,

" OH MY ZEUS! REN THAT WAS TERRIBLE! I AM REALLY GOING TO KILL YOU!"

" It got you to stop didn't it."

Nico bursts out laughing clearly he found my joke funny or Jess's top blowing off. He says,

" Jess calm down it was a joke."

She was about to start yelling when Nico took her by the hand and kissed it. And all of a sudden she forgot about the whole thing and just stared into his eyes. It's seriously weird how he calms her down in less than a second. I say,

" You guys got the message? Only holding hands, pecks on the cheek, and cuddling got it?"

Jess said with an edge in her voice,

" Fine."

" Nico?"

He pulls his hands in the air and says,

" As long as your behind the wheel. May I ask why these conditions are in place?"

" My boyfriend isn't here so then you can't show off your romance without pissing me off."

" Two questions. One, when did you get a boyfriend?"

" Two days ago and think carefully on your next question walking dead dude."

" So clearly you miss him, so who is him?"

" Are you really that stupid?"

" Maybe."

" Luke Castellan."

" Interesting you aren't…"

He didn't finish his sentence because Jess clapped her hand around his mouth, smart move on her part. She says,

" Where are we going?"

" Harvard College."

" Why?"

" We're going to get some answers from Coeus the titan of intelligence."

" Why are we messing with titans?"

" Because a lot of them owe me favors."

" And Harvard College?"

" He is the lead history professor and he specializes in greek mythology."

" How long will it take to get there?"

" Eight hours minimum you guys should get some rest."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Another weird thing about little miss sunshine and Mr. Dead is they both snore in unison. Honestly I shouldn't be surprised at this point, I mean they've lasted three days which is a lot longer than anyone would expect. After about six hours of driving I was falling a sleep at the wheel and could have sworn that a guy on a motor cycle has been following us the whole time, so we pulled into a motel. I parked the car and locked the love birds in the car to go get a room key. When i got inside there was three old women behind the desk, one had a pair of gold scissors, one had a measuring tape, and the third had electric blue yarn. This seems familiar but I'm tired and don't even try to make the connection. I say,

" I need a room with two beds and a couch."

The old women points to a sign that was in greek and it said,

Monster Free: 3 something or others (I have no idea what that word is)

Monster Free with 1 bed: 6 something or others

Monster Free with 2 beds and couch: 10 something or others

I point to the last and with out even thinking dump out ten of the fifty gold coins that Luke gave me. I was about to take it back when the women with scissors swipes her hand over the coins and takes them. Whatever I don't give a shit at this point. She gives me a key and turns around and cuts the blue yarn, it was kind of creepy. I go to the soda machine and get a root beer, wake up time, benefit of being the only one a wake. I unlock the car and shake the can as hard as I can, open the car door, took one of my knifes and stab it into the can and throw he thing into the car and shut the door as fast as I can. Within five seconds Jess and Nico start screaming, soda just covers the backseat window. They come out drenched in soda, best idea ever, and I start laughing my head off. Nico yells,

" What in Hades did you do that for!"

" You needed to be woken up."

Jess says,

" Was there any other way?"

I shake my head and say,

" No."

Nico says,

" You could've at least chosen a good soda."

" Come on let's get to our room."

We get to the room as said, 2 beds, a couch, monster free, and a bathroom (bonus). I say,

" Nico and Jess you guys get SEPARATE beds and I get the couch."

" Who get's first watch?"

" That's up to you two, but it's not gonna be me."

Nico said he would go first because he wants his sunshine to be at full glow in the morning, weird. I pass out immediately and regret it, I see fire and blood, but this time screams in horror and death. And a dark low powerful voice that says,

" I know your there you and the world you know will die at my power."

I yell,

" Give it a try asshole!"

" Ha ha ha! Your anger feeds me, give me strength, and you will die!"

The fire, blood, and smoke come flying at me and start eating at my flesh. I start scream and that's when I wake up with a knife in my hand. I look around and see Jess and Nico are asleep, they didn't hear me scream, I didn't pin them for heavy sleepers. Then the hairs on the back of my neck stand up I hear some one outside the door, corrections he's now inside the room. He comes stumbling in the room with a motorcycle helmet on, clearly I wasn't crazy someone was following us. I get off the couch and grab the top of the helmet and tilt his head back so his neck is exposed and place my knife gently on his neck and say,

" Hands up now."

He lifts his hands up and I continue,

" Now take your helmet slowly or your dead."

He takes t off slowly and drops on the ground I say,

" Turn around slowly."

He turns around slowly and I think I can make out a scar under his eye but it's really dark. I reach over to the wall and flick on the lights I was momentarily blinded then Jess and Nico start yelling. The guy turns his head to see who was yelling and I still can't see his face, and like that Nico and Jess shut up when they realize there is someone else is here, and they can't tell who he is. He rotates his head in my direction and see that it is Luke. I yell,

" GOD DAMN IT LUKE!"

" You screamed so I just need to see if you were okay."

" There is a reason why I didn't bring Luke."

" I don't care I need to keep you safe."

" But I do care Luke! I don''t want you to get killed on this thing! You're to important to me!"

Luke just froze after that, I guess even he can forget to think ahead. I look at the clock and say,

" It's time we move out."

Luke was going to say something when I said,

" Luke you're coming with us since I know you won't stop until I'm safe."

We all pile into the car and ride in silence until we arrive at Harvard. Luke asks,

" Why are we here?"

" Getting answers."

"From?"

"Coeus."

"You are not serious?"

"Don't be smart with me Luke I am still pissed at you"

We weave around the school until we reach his office. The lady behind the desk said,

" Do you have an appointment with Mr. Carson?"

" No."

" Well I am afraid that you will have to come at a later."

"We weren't asking."

I go over to the door and kick it down with all the anger I have. Behind the door was a seven foot tall man and a huge library surrounding him, Coeus. The women starts to say,

" I am so sorry..."

Coeus said,

" Ren how lovely to see you again."

" Don't be hurt if I really don't feel the same."

" I wouldn't be."

" Good."

He looks over at his assistant and said,

" Emily clear my afternoon."

" But sir..."

" No buts."

" Yes sir."

We walk into his office and sit down. He says,

" Why have you returned to Harvard Ren?"

" For answers."

" On?"

" This."

I put a written copy of the prophecy on the table. He takes it gingerly and starts to read it. In the middle he whispered to himself,

" It was only a matter of time."

Jess says,

" For what?"

" For his return Jessica."

I said,

" Who is it Coeus?"

" He goes back farther than any of us."

" Who?"

" Chaos, the being that started it all."

" And the hero?"

" I can't and won't tell you because it would sway the hero's descion."

" Why would it matter if you told us?"

" Because the hero is amount you."

We all look around at each other as trying to figure out who it is. Luke said,

" How do we defeat it Chaos?"

" You need two things, one of which I can provide you."

" What is that exactly?"

" Luke Castellan don't get testy I already know your fate but I am willing to end it soon."

I say,

" Tell us, you still owe me."

" I am aware Ren, it seems that most titans owe you a debt."

" They do but wouldn' t be wiser to pay the debt first?"

" Yes, it would be. The only thing I can give you is The rays of the sun."

" To put it in demigod terms it's a golden plate that can produce ten times the light of the sun and more happiness than you can image."

" Alright give it to me."

" That's not all it takes the happiest thoughts from people to do this. Are you willing to do that?"

" If it means saving the rest of the planet. So hand it over."

" I don't have all of just one fith."

" And the rest?"

" With other titans some might know you."

" Then just give me your piece."

" At a price."

" This isn't the way to pay a debt."

" 27 puzzles instead of 100."

" I'm not playing your thinking games."

" Then no piece."

Luke got and held his knife to the titans throat, little did he know weapons don' t work in this room. I say,

" Luke it doesn't work in here."

"What?"

" It turns into vapor if you try to inflict harm."

" How do you know that?"

" I've tried."

" What is it that you did that he now owes you.?"

Coeus said,

" She is the only one who survived the games."

" What does that mean?"

" It means this titan is in my favor. Take us to the maze."

Everyone looks at me like I am crazy but I know what that dumb ass wants and he is going to get it. He goes over to the book case and pulls a book and a passage appears he says,

" Have fun."

And we all enter the maze and start walking until we arrive to the first puzzle.

I can be half but not thinner

I can shine with no fire

I can be hidden but never taken

I stay dry while moving the ocean

Who or what am I?

I know if we get just one wrong we will be dead.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

After reading the first puzzle I already knew the answer and knew we had to work fast. I said to Jess,

" Jess give me your compact."

" Ren why do you immediately assume…"

" Jess just give it to me we don't have time."

" Fine."

She hands me a circular compact with a sun on it, how fitting. I pier up at the ceiling and sure enough the hole in the ceiling was there and I could see the moon inching toward the hole. I say to Luke,

" Give me a boost."

He cups his hands together and I shove my foot into his hands and push off with the tiny mirror open and ready to catch the moons rays. I aim the light at the wall and a second later it dissolved into the ground leaving two passage ways. I jump down and look at the two passage ways trying to figure out which way to go, but Nico had some other ideas. He started toward the passage on the right when I grab him by the shoulder and throw him to the other end of the room. He yelled,

" WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!"

" I just most likely saved your life."

" Bullshit!"

Jess went running to Nico to make sure he was okay, at worst with a dislocated arm. Jess jumped up and said,

" What's wrong with going that way?"

" He didn't check Jess."

" Well you dislocated his arm because he didn't check."

I walk over to Nico take his messed arm and shove it back into place. He screams with and say,

" It's no longer dislocated."

I walk over toward Luke and take his sword. He yells,

" What the hell is wrong with you Ren?"

I take the sword and thrust it into the right passage and black vines with thrones on them start to wrap around the sword and starts to reach my arm, now my shoulder when Luke grabs me and pulls me out of the vines grasp. I look around and see all their faces arm amazed as well as slightly alarmed that I knew what was going to happen. I say to Nico,

" You're welcome for saving your life."

Nico nodded his head and said,

" Sorry, and thank you."

We started down the leftt passage and stayed down that way for a little while until we came across the next puzzle. On the wall it said,

_A blue house is made of blue brick_

_A red house is made of red brick_

_What is a green house made of ?_

There where three vases in front of us they all looked like they where made of glass. But I know better that one of them is not what it appears to be. I say,

" We have to figure what doesn't belong."

Jess says,

" How do you know?"

" That damn titan hates odd numbers."

" Please explain Ren."

" He went extremely hard on me because I was alone, because I was one. These puzzles are a cake walk because there is an even number of us. Trust me there has to be two not three."

" Which one is the question?"

" That I don't know."

Luke walks up to the vases and just takes one and walks toward me. Then I see a wall coming straight toward him, so I kick Nico in the chest so that he flies into Jess so that they are on the other side of this fast moving wall. I grab Luke by the shirt and throw ourselves to the left. I land on top of him and I hear the wall shut between us with Nico and Jess on the other side. I get off of Luke and start slamming on the wall yelling,

" JESS! DEATH DUDE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!"

I could barely hear her but she said,

" That hurt Ren, but we're okay. What about you guys?"

I look over at Luke who is shaken up but fine. I say,

" We're okay."

I look at the wall and see a question written on it.

_Where is the point?_

I go to the other side of the room and take my knife and start to carve in the wall which said,

You have to solve this on your own.

After Luke read he asked,

" Why?"

I tried to talk to him and prove that I couldn't help because no words could come out of my mouth. Luke understood that you have to solve a puzzle for everyone you get wrong. He looks around for awhile and can't find anything, but then he finsds an old sword sticking out of the ground. He puts his finger on the point and we hear a click. I see spear whizzing toward me and goes into my shoulder and into the wall. I pull the spear out of my shoulder and throw the spear so the tip hits the dot over the "I". And the wall started the to go back. In started to stumble and fell to the ground, I was losing a lot of blood. Luke came running to me saying something but I couldn't hear him. Then everything went black.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

I could hear Luke he said,

" REN! WAKE UP!"

I could hear Jess,

" OH MY ZEUS!"

I could feel that deadly aura of Nico. I can feel him lumming near my injured soul he said,

" She isn't dead, yet."

Jess came running to my side and whispered to me,

" Ren, can embrosia or nector heel you?"

I muster all my strength and say,

" No magic can work in here, it's all part of the game."

" Ren I am not going to let you bleed out."

Jess started to sing, my best bet she is singing a heeling song. I can feel a warmth inside me almost reaching my wound, then it went dark again. I woke to a lot of yelling to my surprise it was mainly between Luke and Jess, she screamed,

" HOW IN THE FUCKING WORLD IS THIS NOT YOUR FAULT!"

" JESS I DIDNT HAVE CONTROL IN THIS SITUATTION! WHY WOULD I WANT TO HURT HER! SHE IS ALL I HAVE, ALL I HAVE TO LIVE FOR!"

" BULLSHIT! SHE WAS PISSED AT YOU SO YOU THOUGHT PAY BACK WOULDN'T HURT!"

" THAT IS FUCKING BULLSHIT JESS!"

" IT WAS YOUR ASSHOLE MOVE THAT NEARLY KILLED HER! AND IF SHE DIES IT'S ON YOUR FUCKING HEAD!"

Nico interjects,

" Jess it wasn't all his fault."

" NICO YOU BETTER SHUT THE FUCK UP OR I WILL BE PISSED AT YOU A WHOLE HELL OF ALOT MORE!"

I yell to them which was pretty much a whisper,

" Shut up! This is what he wants."

They all freeze and look over at me they looked relieved and concerned at the same time. Luke comes running toward me and places his hands on either side of my face. He started crying and said,

" Thank the gods that your alright. I am so sorry."

He rests his forehead against mine and I whisper,

" It's okay I am right here and I'm not going anywhere."

I try to get up and scream from the pain that surges through my shoulder. I say to Jess,

" I thought you healed me?"

" It only half way healed there is still a good amount of damage and bleeding."

I look down at my shoulder and see my shirt was socked with blood, I say,

" Damn it this my favorite shirt. Someone give me a new one."

Luke took off his hoodie and was about to take off his shirt when I said,

" The hoodie is good, Jess will you come and help me?"

Jess comes running over and with out looking at them she said,

" Neither of you are going to look unless you are ready to be in a world of hurt."

I could tell Nico wasn't going to risk it, but Luke wasn't going to take his eyes off me again. But Jess stared him down until he turned around facing the wall. I said,

" Jess there is no need to be mad at them."

" There is plenty of good fucking reason."

" Jess I think you need to stop using the colorful language."

" But I am mad..."

" Not worth it little miss sunshine. And trust me this isn't my first near death experience."

She helps me take off my shirt with my bra still on when Jess says,

" Oh my gods."

I look down and see all the scars I have. There are three stab wounds near my belly button, a few claw marks when I wrestled with a lion, the burn marks from the fire, and a few other things here and there. Now that I think about I'm surprised that I never marked up my face or upper turso for that matter. When Luke hears Jess he turns around and sees the rest of the scars I have . He looks like he could die when he tries to imagine the pain I went through. Jess binds my wounds with what is left of my favorite shirt, gets me in the hoodie. Luke comes over and picks me to carry me, I say,

" Luke let me walk."

" No."

" Then at least let me ride piggy back style."

" But your arm..."

" I have another one Luke."

So now I am on his back with one arm across his chest the other across my chest to keep pressure. Luke says,

" Which way Ren?"

" Do the test I showed you."

" Nico."

He cautiously stabbed the knife into the dark passage and luckily picked the right one. About twenty feet in it went completely dark Jess says,

" This is a little creepy."

Nico must have reached for her hand because she said,

" No way in Hades are you getting any of this!"

I yell,

" Why don't we play the quiet game!"

That got them all to shut up. Clearly Nico is going to have to learn that you always side with your girl rather than your friend, and I'm pretty sure he regrets that mistake. After another ten minutes a light started to glow behind us I turn my head and see Jess is literally glowing sun beams. I hear Nico whisper,

" The light of my life."

Jess,

" Shut up Nico you dark romantic."

I think I hear a kiss on a cheek and a giggle. To my surprise she stayed mad at him for a whole half an hour, I only gave it thirty seconds. I say,

" Okay bright and dark lead the way."

They bounced their way in front of us giving us the chance to see what was in front of us. Luke and I stayed in silence for a while when he couldn't stand it any longer and said,

" Ren, you know that I only came to protect you, but clearly I haven't done a good job of it."

" You don't know this place like I do you couldn't have known."

" I should've trusted your judgement."

" You should've."

" Don't stay mad at me Ren."

" I won't Luke."

I know I should probably stay pissed but I don't know if we are all going to get out of this alive. I also know that I miss him even though we're close I just miss the connection I cut off from him. I reach forward and turn his head toward me. And say,

" I'm not mad at you."

I kiss him on the lips. His mouth was hard as if made of stone but slowly turned back into the lips I know. I pulled away and smiled at him he said,

" Thank the gods, I was going to die if you stayed mad at me for another second."

He kissed me one more time and we were back to following little miss sunshine and dead head. All was good until we came to the next puzzle. It said,

_Silence is golden but where is the gold?_

I pat Luke on the back and point to the opposite wall. He carries me to the wall, I take out a knife and carved two words, Stay silent. Under it I carved, anybody got an answer? Nico raised his hand and I handed him the knife. He sliced the palm of his hand and smeared the blood across the word golden. The wall dissolved into the ground and he said,

" Blood is gold to the body."

Jess runs over to him and gives him a kiss that quickly turns into making out. I say,

" Not the right time or place you guys."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After about five minutes of watching Nico and Jess make out they got the message of, not really a good time. Jess said,

" Make up kiss can get a little passionate."

" You mean to say little miss sunshine that it was a make up make out session."

Nico started to crack up clearly he's had a good past five minutes. I say to Luke,

" Getty up, horsey."

" Yes jockey."

" Hey! I am not the short."

We move along into the dark passage led by the bright Jess. We come to the problem that damn titan gave us, the most horrid of all problems to do, math. Now don't get me wrong math I am okay at but I hate it with a passion. I read the message out loud,

" Ten problems to solve five minutes to do so. If done under the amount of time given ten problems will disappear from your path, finish the problems in ten minutes and all of you will have ten more problems to solve and one live will be lost."

Luke says,

" Does one of us have to do this alone?"

" No. Luke you and Jess go solve the problems now!"

Jess says,

" Why do you assume that I am good at math?"

" Don't ask bullshit questions just do it."

Luke put me down and went to go solve the problems. I look down at my shoulder and see I am bleeding again, great. Jess and Luke kept working and bickering back and forth in math language. We were approaching the ten minute mark when both Luke and Jess screamed,

" Done!"

The math walls had crumbled and I heard the titan say,

" Four problems left."

Luke came to get me when he saw that my shoulder started to bleeding again he said to Jess,

" How long can she last with this?"

" Not very long we better hurry."

Luke picks me up like the princess in trouble but I don't care I am starting to fade fast. the puzzle asked who we were truly afraid of. It is a trick question because we are afraid of everyone until we know them, expect for one person a god, Death. I take the blood from my shoulder and write in greek the gods name of who we all fear. The wall disappears and start running to the next problem. The next two were very easy and I wasn't even awake when we did it. Luke wakes me up and tells me the puzzle,

" The fathers are the sons of a youngest son. Their eldest sons walk amount the eldest daughters."

I say,

" Everyone cut the palm of their hand and come here."

I pulled out a knife and hand it to Luke. They all slice their palms and crowd around me. I take Nico's blood first and draw a horizontal line in the floor. I finger Luke's blood and draw a vertical line under Nico's. I draw my line vertical and Jess's horizontal under mine. I connected the "T's" together forming a roman numeral two. Then floor disappeared underneath us. We fall for what feels like forever and then we land in the room where it all started in his damn office. Luke quickly feeds me embrosia and nectar to heel my shoulder. After that I jump up and yell at the titan,

" You give me that damn map and piece of plate right now!"

The guy could tell that I wasn't going to play his games and handed me what I needed said we could go but I said,

" We need your car. And you won't report it to the police."

We get in the car and go. Luke is driving me in shot gun and the love birds in the back passed out. Luke takes my hand and says,

" It's harder now."

" What?"

" Watching you hurt thinking of maybe losing you."

" It's hard to be attached."

" Were you not attached to me before?"

" Luke that not is not what I meant."

" Then what did you mean?"

" I meant it is harder to watch someone you…"

" What?"

" It's harder to watch someone you love get hurt."

" Did you just say the word love?"

" Yes."

" Ren, I love you too."

I reach over and kiss him where his jaw and neck connect. He has the most evil smile on his face when I did that he said,

" If we weren't on a quest I might have pulled over into a motel."

" Maybe next time."

" Okay where are we going?"

" Home."


End file.
